


To Have Love For

by wickedorin



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: AU, Androids, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-15 05:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/846055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written as a fill for a drabble request on AwaitingMassProduction: "Can I have something cute and fluffy and maybe smutty of Kurou and Argente, maybe Kurou trying to explain to Argente his progress in  research about relationships and love and such things?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Have Love For

**Author's Note:**

> Again I must apologize for any confusion for those who don't follow the RP blog, but it's... kind of fluffy and nice anyway..?

Argente was watching another of those typically unrealistic nighttime dramas that he seemed to have some strange affection for. As far as Kurou could tell, the clone seemed to enjoy them somewhat ironically, admitting to their ridiculous nature. He noticeably seemed to like mysteries and a touch of fantasy element here and there, things that were not so rooted in reality. When one of those extremely silly story lines involved a “humanoid robot”, however…  
  
During a commercial, Argente turned around and leaned against the back of the couch, watching the android in kitchen as he finished washing the dishes. “Kurou, are you the same way?”  
  
“In what sense?” While he hadn’t been _actively_ paying attention to the television program, it was rather difficult to ignore it entirely; the full audio had still technically been recorded, after all.  
  
“I mean… are you ‘confused by human emotion’? ‘Trying to understand love’?” Argente pressed, resting his chin on his folded arms. He was quite clearly interested in an honest answer.  
  
Kurou turned slightly to look at the clone before reaching for the dish towel, going about his task of drying the dishes and putting them away. “There is much about human emotions which still confuses me.” He admitted easily. “But love does not seem so confusing.”  
  
Argente blinked in surprise. “Really?”  
  
“I suspect that it is likely Kotetsu’s emotional influence.” The android admitted, proving to be just as quick about the drying as he was about the washing. “Understanding that even the death of his wife could neither end nor subtract from the love that he feels for her. It is a powerful emotion, a bond. It is something that goes beyond language, however. Intrinsically nearly impossible to explain, describe. The concept of ‘knowing it when you feel it’ lacks in being able to explain or even properly justify, and yet it is also accurate. To a point.”  
  
Staring for a long moment, Argente couldn’t help the curiosity, the question. “You, then… do you feel love, Kurou?”  
  
He may have surprised himself with his own complete lack of hesitation. It was a knowing answer, no space at all between processing and speaking. “Yes. I feel love for the freedom that I am offered, the life I have taken for myself. I feel love for the friends that I have made and the connections that I have made, because they are all unique and important; they have taught me more than I could express, and require more gratitude than I could offer. I have love for— Ah. For ‘my family’.”  
  
“Family.” The clone could feel his heart clench in his chest at that. The whole Kaburagi family had taken Kurou in, had let him use their _name_ … “You mean Kotetsu.”  
  
There wasn’t an immediate answer that time. Instead, Kurou very patiently hung the towel to dry before turning the kitchen light off, walking up to Argente. He wasn’t sure where the desire came from, or even if it was truly a common thing to do; he simply knew that he wished to run his fingers over the clone’s hair, feeling every individual strand as he did so. “Kotetsu is a part, yes. Kaede, Muramasa, Anju. Big Sis. Asimov. You as well, Argente. You are all my— ‘Foundation’. My encouragement. My trusted, cherished bonds.”  
  
He really didn’t realize that he was crying until he felt the need to sniff, to wipe his eyes quickly as though that would hide the evidence. “You h-have… love for me?”  
  
“Yes.” Kurou answered simply. “We have ‘been through a lot together’. Our initial understanding of one another was mistaken at best, but over time that has changed. Evolved. You have repaid kindness. You have taken care of my cat.” He took note of Argente laughing, pausing for a moment; then longer when the clone reached for his hand without explanation. It wasn’t as if he minded the hold, however. “I understand why Kotetsu always wished to keep his family safe. Away from his ‘Hero life’ in order to protect them, even if it was difficult emotionally. Part of me wishes that as well, however—”  
  
Argente suddenly clasped at the android’s hand as if terrified to let go. “You’re not getting rid of me. You’re not sending me away.”  
  
It did hurt, just a little. Or at least, it was a bit uncomfortable for his hand to be held so tightly. Even so, Kurou responded calmly and patiently, “I would not truly think to. You are an adult, and I trust you to make your own choices. I will respect those choices. But I will still try to protect you, the rest of my family, and my friends, as best as I can. However I can.”  
  
The grip was less and less _intense_ with every word, until the clone was merely casually holding on again. “Okay. I— Okay.”  
  
“Okay.” The android repeated. “Though you must be careful of your grip with humans.”  
  
Looking a great deal more chastised than he truly had been, Argente looked down before moving to let go altogether; though Kurou didn’t do the same. “Sorry.”  
  
“It is alright.” A simple assurance before the subject was changed. “You seem to have missed the end of your program, however.”  
  
“Oh, that’s fine. It’ll probably be on again, and… there’s a better show next anyway.” Argente dismissed, smiling even as he wiped his eyes quickly with the back of his free hand. “Want to watch it with me?”  
  
“Yes. That would be nice.” Finally starting to release his own grasp, Kurou added, “Though, I should give Asimov a bit more food first.”  
  
Snorting, the clone let go. “I don’t think he’ll starve.”  
  
“But he seems to think that he will starve.” Kurou pointed out.  
  
“I guess so.” Argente had to laugh when Asimov appeared like a streak at the android’s heels, both headed straight for his food dish. Family… he could get used to that idea.


End file.
